Kitsap Pumas News Release - www.kitsapsoccerclub.com
Saturday, July 11, 2009
BREMBERTON, WA -- Kitsap took its second-half attack right at the heart of the Abbotsford defense to defeat their guests 1-0 Saturday night at Bremerton Memorial Stadium. The win earns Kitsap (11-0-3, 36 league points) the PDL Northwest Division regular season title and the top seed in the division heading into the PDL playoffs, ensuring them of a first round bye.
All the planets were aligned and in the Kitsap Pumas’ favor to take home its first-ever division title last night.
They were playing at home, where they’ve won their last six contests and outscored their opponents 18-2 with four shutouts over that span.
They were catching the Abbotsford Mariners on the back end of back-to-back road games where it’s difficult for the road team to muster much energy for any game. It was hot and muggy at kickoff. A large crowd was on hand.
And despite a red card putting them a man down for two-thirds of the match, coupled with some uncharacteristically inconsistent play by the Pumas for the and a solid effort by Abbotsford,
The Pumas, who are just one of three teams in the entire PDL without a loss, also move two points ahead of the Long Island Rough Riders and
the Ottawa Fury for the top points total in the 68-team table.
“I’m thrilled,” head coach John Wedge said afterward. “I was honored to accept the position in the first place and I’m proud of (owner) Robin (Waite) and (executive director) Ben (Pecora). They’ve been great. Everybody involved with the club – from the front office to the physiotherapy people have been great.
“I’m pleased for the players,” Wedge continued. “They’ve worked so hard and they’ve played as a team. They deserve it.”
Substitute winger Alex Megson tracked a ball deep in Abbotsford’s (4-8-2) end in the 67th-minute that was also covered by two Mariner defenders.
But Megson was the one who hustled harder to the ball, which had stopped a few feet from the line, and got it past both with some of this season’s most incredible footwork. He then made a pinpoint cross to a streaking Stephen Phillips, who had run right past his marker.
Goalkeeper Kris Johansson raced toward Phillips but his reaction was way too early. The lethal Phillips took full advantage, heading the ball into the right side of the goal sending the Pumas and the 1,097 in attendance in a frenzied celebration.
It was Phillips’ eighth goal of the season. He also leads the team in points with 19. Megson leads the team in assists with four.
“I knew if I won it – because I saw him (Phillips) closing down – I knew he was right there with the header to finish," Megson said. "I honestly didn’t even look up" to see where (he) was.
“He got right in front of his guy and pulled a sweet move,” Phillips said. “It was a perfect cross right at my head.”
The goal came at a welcome time as the Pumas were struggling to make decent passes and establish a consistent flow on offense.
They also lost midfielder Tony Kerr to a red card in the 30th minute on an horrific call by the center referee.
Kitsap was already without defender Taylor Hyde, who was sitting out due to a red card earned last weekend at Portland, and forward Eli Gordley, who was being held out due to an ankle injury suffered against Spokane on June 27.
Wedge made a masterful change to his alignment following halftime, shifting defender Will Sturgess forward into a stopper’s role - thus playing essentially with three defenders at the back and bringing on both Megson and Aziz Dieng into the midfield.
The moves paid immediate dividends as Kitsap, despite playing a man down, started making connections and building real offensive momentum. None was bigger than the connection made by Megson and Phillips.
“It was a great effort by Alex to get in there and win that ball,” defender Stephen Mohn said. “ And Steve’s always the man at the end to finish it.”
Abbotsford tried its best to get an equalizer and nearly succeeded when Stefan Leslie popped up a ball by the Kitsap goal in the 86th-minute.
Goalkeeper Dustyn Brim tried to make the catch but Brenden Podolsky grabbed his arms to keep him from making the grab, then kicked him in the head as Brim tried to make the save with the ball on the ground. It was a dicey moment as a near scuffle ensued as several Kitsap players tried to get Podolsky off their captain.
It was a near mirror image of last week’s finish against Portland – but Brim said his side had learned a hard lesson from a scrap at the end of that match.
“I popped up, but more to make sure to pull my guys back than to get into it,” he said.
Podolsky was given a red card and ejected. It was one of eight cards handed out for the match including four ejections.
Even those on the bench weren’t immune. Wedge was ejected in the 78th minute after arguing a brutal foul against Mohn. Abbotsford’s Cameron Wilson was sent off in stoppage time for arguing with the center official.
The Mariners still had one last chance to equalize as a foul was called on Max Lipset after he collided with Gibson Bardsley outside the penalty box. Replays showed Bardsley clearly smashing Lipset in the face with his elbow prior to any contact. Adrian Kekec’s free kick was put over the bar, ending Abbotsford’s hopes.
Moments later, the Pumas celebrated at midfield after the center official’s whistle made it all final – the Pumas were division champs.
It is a remarkable achievement for the first-year franchise - owned and operated by former Seattle Sounders D1 co-owner Robin Waite. The Pumas, technically that same franchise - began operations in earnest less than ten months ago. In the course of this season they have qualified for the US Open Cup (falling to USL-1 leader Portland) and have brought professional sports to an area of the country which has never had a franchise to call its own.
The win marks the sixth time in 12 games Brim has earned a shutout. He leads the league in goalkeeper wins with 10 and is tied for fourth in goals allowed average with .500 despite playing nearly double the minutes of keepers near him in the table.
The team has allowed just eight goals all year, tying them for first along with Ottawa.
“You really figure out what you’re made of when your back’s to the wall,” Brim said. “We haven’t been tested mentally and that was a big mental challenge.”
“Our back line always stays solid,” Megson said. “There’s not a game this year where I can say they didn’t have a good game.”
Mohn applauded the side’s shift at halftime to he, Mark Lee and Lipset in the back, pushing Sturgess into the midfield.
“It’s our first time playing three back there all year,” he said. “We wanted to come out and win it in front of our home crowd.”
Mohn, the first player signed by the Pumas, said he’s enjoyed the ride so far.
“It’s been a long process since I signed but it’s been great,” he said. “I love all the guys, I love our staff, I love talking to (the media) after we win games. It’s been a great season.”
The division title means three Pumas - Mohn, Lee and forward Spencer Schomaker - all are back-to-back titlists. The trio were on a legendary Tacoma Tide title winner last year.
Brim, a fifth-year PDL veteran, was overjoyed afterward as this will be the first time he’s made it to the postseason.
“It’s unbelievable,” he said. “I can’t even say what I’m feeling. I just want to turn around and scream into the air.”
Brim also said the Pumas have earned their way into the playoffs.
“It (winning) hasn’t been by the skin of our teeth,” he said. “We’re going into every game and saying ’come beat us,’ because we’re coming to
play.”
With the division and a first round playoff bye in hand, Kitsap will now turn its focus to clinching the top spot in the PDL and possibly earn home-field advantage throughout the whole of the playoffs.
Phillips promised they won’t slow down.
“I think we should keep on playing” the way we can, he said. “We need to play well these last two games so we can go into the playoffs on a high note.”
Not to be left out was the crowd itself.
“Our fans have been top notch,” Brim said. “If we can keep that 12th man (advantage) then we’ll play every game lights out.”
The Pumas travel to Victoria next Friday, then end the regular season with a derby against Tacoma Sunday at 1 p.m. at Curtis High School. The club is weighing the notion of hiring fan buses to bring its crowd south for the finale.
The Narrows Bridge Bell - a fan-initiated trophy to be awarded to the Kitsap-Tacoma derby winner will be up for grabs in Sunday’s contest. The two sides tied 1-1 in Kitsap’s first-ever home match on May 15.
Kerr will be unavailable for the match versus the Highlanders. Wedge said he expects Gordley to be back and may start Aziz Dieng in Kerr’s spot. Wedge himself will most likely also be out, though the club cannot confirm this at this time.
Playoff ticketing and related details will be forthcoming from USL offices and will be announced shortly by the club.
